Cigar-bunching machine.



No. 699,674. Patented May 13, I902.

M. M. GARDNER.

CIQAR BUNCHING MACHINE.

Application filed Aug. 5, 1901.

(No Model.) 4 Shaet-Sheet l.

WITNEEEIEE. INVENTDRI m. 45 (/QLW EIY W Y8 Patented May l3, I902.

M. M. GARDNER.

CIGAR BUNCHING MACHINE.

(Application filed Aug. 5, 1901.) (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

INVENTUR:

W ENMZ AT TYS an. $99,674 Patented May 13, I902.

M. M GARDNER. ClGAR BUNGHING MACHINE.

Application filed Aug. 5, 1901.\

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Shem 3 WITNEEEEEII INVEN'TEJR'.

ms NcRmS PETER: cc, FHOYO-LITHO, wAsmNuToN [1.6

No. 699,874. Patented Mav l3. I902.

M. M. GARDNER. CIGAR BUNCHING MACHINE.

Application filed Aug. 5, 1901.)

(No Model.) I 4 Sl1eets---$heet 4.

WITNEE'SEE. F INVENTEIR'.

, 'p/ Wk'whcxek m. Gmu'ihxew.

AT'T YS ll'iTEso STATES PATENT @rrrcn.

MICHAEL M. GARDNER, OF ()RANSTON, RHODE ISLAND.

CIGAR-BUNCHING MACHINE.

SPECIFIGATIGN forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,674, dated May 13, 1902. Application filed August 5, 1901. $erial No. 70,868. (No model.)

1'0 a, 'LU/LOIH/ it may concern:

Be it known that 1, MICHAEL M. GARDNER, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of Edgewood, in the town of Cranston, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oigar-BunehingMachines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain novel improvements in cigar-bunching maehines,so called, and of the type in which the entire stripped leaf of tobacco is used for the fillers of the cigar-bunches. Acigar-bunching machine of this class is clearly illustrated and described in United States Patent No. 528,903, granted to Henry K Gardner November 6, 1894.. In that machine the suitably-prepared leaves of tobacco are superposed in a traveling trough, so as to form a comparatively thick layer or continuous strip or ribbon, which is fed to a yielding ironing device adapted to flatten out or iron the strip of tobacco-leaves, so that the latter will lie straight and even and at the same time being substantially uniform in thickness. The thustreated strip is intermittingly fed into a contiguous magazine a suitable distance, corresponding with the length of cigar to be produced therefrom, and severed. The severed portion or section is then advanced in said magazine-chamber, together with other previously-severed sections then lying side by side therein, by means of a yieldingly-mounted plunger, so as to press the front portion of the horizontal column of fillers or sections into a suitably-shaped open chamber or charging-pocket formed in the charging-head, followed by severing or shearing off the charge of fillers in the head from the said column of sections lying in the magazine. The charge of fillers is then discharged from the head into the usual bight formed in the bunchrolling apron, the action of the latter being to properly roll the binder around the charge of fillers, thus completing the bunch. In the said cigar-bunching machine patented to II. K. Gardner an adjustable feeding device is employed and also a yieldingly mounted plunger adapted to press the filler-sections into the magazine. It also shows a means for controlling or regulating the length of the sections, but no mechanism for automatically stopping the feeding device in case the magazine becomes surcharged with the filler-sections.

My present invention, as before stated, relates to cigar-bunching machines, but more especially to improved devices for feeding the tobacco and controlling the length of the severed filler sections, which latter are later transferred into a magazine and adapted to be converted into bunches.

It also relates to new and improved means for automatically rendering the feeding devicetemporarilyinoperative in case the quantity of fillers in the magazine exceeds a predetermined amount.

In carrying out my invention I employ a continuously-reciprocating rack and gear, which in turn oscillates an arm carrying a spring-pressed pawl arranged to engage with and actuate a ratchet-wheel, which latter imparts a corresponding movement to the mechanism and trough for intermittingly feeding and pressing the strip or ribbon of tobacco prior to being severed into filler-sections by the initial cutter or knife. The angular movement of said pawl is constant and uniform and is arranged to rotate the ratchet-wheel in one direction only. A curved guard 1nemher is interposed between the pawl and the periphery of the Wheel. The said guard is secured to or integral with an index finger or pointer, which latter registers with asuitablygraduated stationary dial or plate provided with a series of holes to receive a pin mounted in the outer end of the pointer. These graduations correspond with and indicate the length of the filler sections or bunches to be produced.

By means of the above arrangement it will be apparent that the position of the pointer determines the length of the section to be severed from the ribbon of tobacco, and since the guard bears a fixed relation to the pointer it follows that as the guard is advanced in the direction of rotation of the ratchet-wheel and secured in position the length of the feed will be correspondingly lessened. This result is due to the fact that the interposed guard serves to keep the vibrating pawl idle or disengaged from the ratchet-wheel during the greater portion of its (the pawls) movetity of fillers in the magazine exceedsa fixed.

or predetermined amount. In this device a loosely-mounted horizontally-arranged gage rod is employed having two collars ad justably secured thereon and parallel with the stem or red of the plunger, which transfers the fillerseetions singly into the magazine. In this arrangement the gage-rod is adapted to be advanced by the action of the plunger, so that the inner end portion of the rod will lie in the path of the pawl before referred to.

Means are employed for positively disengaging the pawl from the wheels teeth at each reciprocation of said rack and gear, the gage-rod serving to tilt the pawl downwardly into reengagement with the wheel upon the return stroke, or, in other words, the feeding mechanism is rendered normally inoperative during one-half of each oscillation of the gear and pawl carrying arm, and is normally operative during the other half of the movement. In case, however, the magazine contains an excess quantity of the fillers the inner end of the previously-adjusted gage-rod will not extend to the pawl. Consequently the latter will not be tripped until more of the tillers in the magazine have been converted into bunches. WVhenever the rod again advances to or past the ratchet-wheel, the positive action of the pawl-carrying arm will swing the heel of the pawl against the rod, thereby tripping the pawl, which in turn engages the wheels teeth and restarts the feeding mechanism, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying four sheets of drawings, Figure 1 is a partial plan view of a cigarbunehing machine embodying my improvements. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, in partial section, enlarged scale, taken substantially on line 1 1 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on line 2 2 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a similar sectional view, being practically a continuation of Fig. 3, and showing the traveling trough. Fig. 4% is an end view of the pawl-guard and index-finger represented inFig. 3. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view, in reduced scale, taken substantially on line 5 5 of Fig. 1, showing the plunger and its carriage retracted, corresponding with the normal position. Fig. 6 is a similar sectional view showing the plunger, &c. advanced and forcing the filler-sections ahead in the magazine. Fig. '7 is a side elevation, in partial section, showing a portion of the feeding de vice sectionally represented in Fi 3. Fig. Sis a corresponding end view showing the pawl in the act of being automatically released from the wheel and being substantially at the end of the forward movement. Fig. 9 shows the pawl released, the arm at the same time carrying it rearwardly to reengage the ratchet-wheel. Fig. 10 shows the pawl in the act of being tripped by the gagerod preparatory to rotating the wheel, &e., upon the return stroke. Fig. 11 shows the relation of the pawl, &c., at the commencement of the return movement, the position of the guard corresponding, say, with the maximum feed; and Fig. 12 is a similar View showing the guard advanced so as to rotate the wheel a less distance, thereby producing correspondingly shorter filler-sections.

I would state briefly and in a general way that in a cigar-bunching machine embodying my improvements (see Fig. 1) the leaves of tobacco are fed into a traveling trough B, which in turn carries them in the form of a continuous strip or ribbon below a suitable ironing or pressing device 0 and from the latter to a verticall y-reciprocatin g holder a, carrying an initial knife K, which severs the strip into sections t, termed filler-sections. The latter are then transferred singly into a contiguous magazine m, in which a yieldinglymounted plunger E is adapted to force the fillers into a charging-pocket having a capacity for one bunch or charge, which latter is subsequently covered with a binder and converted into a rolled bunch in any suitable manner.

My present invention does not cover an organized cigar-bunchingmachiueinits entirety and adapted to perform the steps above recited, but rather to improved means for actuating and automatically controlling the feeding mechanism, so that the magazine may not be surcharged with the filler-sections, and means for regulating the length of said scet-ions, and consequently the bunches.

The following is a more detailed description of my improved feeding device and the manner of its operation. The continuouslyrevolving driving-shaft It, Fig. 2, rotates the cam-shaft n by means of a gear (not shown) meshing into a gear h, secured to shaft 29, on which latter is also secured the barrel-eam D. A slidable rack r is mounted just above said cam, the same carrying a roll 0 in continuous engagement with the cams groove, the shape of the latter being such that the corresponding movements of the rack are suitably timed with respect to the cutting-off mechanism and the other coacting devices. A gear 4- engages the teeth of the rack, the proportion, &c., of said members as drawn being such that each double reciprocation of the rack imparts an angular movement to said gearof about one hundred and eightydegrees in each direction and corresponding, say, to the maximum distance that the strip 25 of tobacco can be advanced at each feed action. To one end of the upper belt-driving resent the traveling trough which feeds the tobacco to the initial cutting-knife K, the latter in turn severing the strip into fillersections 15', which are transferred singly into the magazine in. This severing device constitutes no part of the present application.

By referring to the sectional view Fig. 4 it will be seen that the upper and lower belts c c (mounted on pulleys c c, secured to upper and lower oppositely-revolving shafts'd d respectively) form between them a traveling trough or channel 0 for the strip tof tobacco. The movements of said shafts and belts are intermittent and controlled by the cam D,&c. To the said shafts (Z (Z are secured intermeshing spur-gears cl direspectively, the latter gear having a ratchet-wheel f secured thereto. (See Fig. 3.) In alinement with but independently of the shaft d is located an arm or lever e, having a hub 12, to which is fastened the said rack-actuated gear T The upper end of the arm carries a swinging pawl y, adapted to engage the teeth of the wheelf and rotate it in the proper direction. Thus it will be seen that the belts c are actuated by the cam D, the said intermediate gearing, the. Obviously the action of the rack, gear "r lever n, and its pawl rotates the ratchet-wheel intermittently and in one direction only. Therefore if there were no intervening device the length of the sections severed by the initial cutting-knife K would be invariable.

In order to vary the feed or length of the filler-sections, so as to produce bunches having any desired length, I provide the device A, the same consisting of an arm or finger s and a guard-plate i, united by the small central shaft or rod 5-, Fig. 3. The guard is interposed between the pawl y and the pe riphery of the ratehetwheel f in such man- I ner that the pawl rides idly upon the guard,

while at the same time the movement of the said rack and its gear are invariable. In the said device A for controlling the length of the filler-sections (and therefore the bunches) the finger s, secured to the outer end of the rod 8, carries at its upper end a spring-pin s registering with a series of holes 19 formed in a dial or index plate 13, secured to an extension 1) of the gear frame or housing. The dial, which as drawn has the form of a quadrant, Fig. 2, has near its outer edge a series of radial graduations indicating the corresponding length of sections adapted to be pro duced by the machine. The fingers has a pointer s registering with the said graduations. The inner end of rod 8 has-as drawn a head 3 .9 to which is secured a fiat plate 2', having a bent guard 1'', extending across and partly around the face of the ratchet-wheel f, as clearly shown in Figs. 3, 49;, 7, 8, (he.

The point 3 of the swinging pawl yis kept normally disengaged from the teeth ofthe wheel 1 by means of a spring g pressing against apin 2 secured to the pawl. To the front end of the pawl-pivot pin y, extending through the eye of the lever 21, is secured a latch member 4 having a notch 1 therein. The latch has an abutment or extension to support the end of a flat spring .2 when the latter is detached from said notch. This spring is secured to the lever e and is bent rearwardly at a point near the rim of the wheel When the spring is in the notch, the pawl is in normal slightly-yieldingengagement with the ratchet-wheel or hearing against the guard 2". (See Figs. 10,12,&c.)

It is to be borne in mind that the angular movement forth and back of the lever and its pawl is invariable or about one hundred and eighty degrees, as before stated. Contiguous to the wheels rim and at a point near the end of the forward stroke of the pawl is located a small stationary pin or stop j, (see also Fig. 7,) arranged to contact with the moving spring a, and thus automatically withdraw it from the notch of the latch at substantially the same instant that the pawl ceases its forward movement, thereby permitting the spring 11 to swing the pawl out of gear. Fig. 8 shows the spring in the act ofbeing withdrawn, while Fig. 9 the pawl being on its return stroke and disengaged from the wheel, the latter meanwhile remaining stationary. The heel of the tilted pawl is slightly elevated, so that as it passes beneath a normally stationary gage-rodn, lying in its path, it engages the latter and is forced downwardly into engagement with the wheel f, thereby, too, at the same time correspondingly elevating the latch 1 and permitting the spring 2 to enter the notch 1 Fig. 10 shows the corresponding relation of the parts. The continued movement rear wardly of the gear r carries the lever o and pawl to its limit or substantially as shown in Figs. 11 and 12, wherein the parts are represented as having just started on the return forward stroke. In Fig. 11 the guard 4 is set so as to produce the longer feed or angular movement of the wheel fand Fig. 12 a considerably shorter movement. I

It is obvious that the foregoing action takes place at each double reciprocation or oscillation of the lever, 1350., thereby intermittingly actuating the trough, its ribbonof tobacco, &c., a corresponding extent. The degree of such movement is of course dependent upon the position of the finger s and connected guard c. In case, however, there should he shows the same fully released,

an excess quantity of filler-sections contained in the magazine mthe gage-rod n will not advance endwise'sufficiently to engage the pawl. Therefore the latter will not be tripped and as a result the feeding device will remain temporarily inoperative until the continued action of the other parts of the machine shall have reduced the filler-sections in the maga zine to the predetermined or desired amount.

The following is a more detailed description of the mechanism which controls the action of the gage-rod: In the said Gardner patent, No. 528,903, means are employed for pressing the filler-sections into a magazine through the medium of a weighted or yieldingly-mounted plunger and carriage. Therefore I make no claim herewith to such a device; but in order to properly show the relation of such old devices to my present improvements I have deemed it best in Figs. 1, 5, and 6 to illustrate portions of said machine. To the under side of the bed or frame 6' is slidablymounted a carriage at, having a longitudinally-extending rack in engagement with and actuated by a segment-gear ed, in turn operated by a suitably-connected cam L, secured to the driving-shaft U1. The car- 'riage has an arm extending upwardly through anopening' a, formed in the frame, carrying a wheel 0?, from which a cord passes over a winding drum or wheel to, the other end of the cord being fast to the rear end of the plunger-rod e. The wheel w is mounted on an axle carrying a smaller wheel provided with a cord M2 and weight w. The plungerrod e extends centrally and longitudinally of the machine and passes loosely through the said arm of the carriage. The forward end of the rod has a plunger E, adapted to press the filler-sections i from the transferringchamber 0 into the magazine m. The reciprocating movements of the carriage and its wheel a are positive and invariable and are I effected by a suitable cam L.

The forward movement of the plunger is, however, variable, the distance traveled being as a rule much less than the corresponding travel of the carriage. This variation is due to the amount of fillers in the magazine and also to the degree of pressure exerted by the weight w in propelling the plunger ahead, it being understood that it is the pressure of the weight alone that advances and compresses the fillers in the magazine. The plunger-rod 6 passes loosely through the said wheel-carrying arm and has a collar a adj ustably secured thereon, bearing normally against the rear face of the arm. At substantially the same instant that the plunger engages the filler-sections the continued forward movement of the carriage causes the latter to withdraw from the collar, thereby permitting the weight to fall and freely exert its force upon the plunger. On the return or rearward stroke of the carriage the latter upon engaging the collar 0. operates to retract the rod e and its plunger until the end of the stroke is reached, the parts then being in the normal position, substantiall y as represented in Fig. 5, the weight vw meanwhile being correspondingly elevated.

The action of the gage-rod 71 is dependent upon the movements of the plunger-rod, although not necessarily operative at each stroke-that is to say, the gage-rod, as drawn, lies parallel with, to the right, and somewhat above the plunger-rod. It is mounted to move freely in suitable supports and carries front and rear dogs or collars n at, respectively, adj ustably secured thereon. The inner end of the rod 11. is arranged to travel past the face of the ratchet-wheel f (see dotted lines,Fig. 5) and is adapted to be actuated back and forth endwise by means of an arm 6, secured to the plunger-rod. In case the adjustment and conditions are such that the arm c in its forward movement engages the front dog it" the gage-rod will be correspondingly advanced, and thus render the feeding device operative. The return or rearward movement of the plunger causes the arm to positively engage the rear dog at and retract the gage-rod to its normal position. While the member 7t remains in this latter position the feeding device will continue to be inoperative, because it then cannot trip the pawl 1 as hereinbcfore stated.

I would add that the strip of uncut fillers '6 may sometimes slightly exceed the normal width, or the charging-pocket into which the fillers are pressed from the magazine to form the bunch may be adjusted to a narrower width. In such event it follows that the relative action of the feeding device to the plunger would be considerably in excess of the latter. In practice I prefer to set the collarn so that the feeding mechanism will be 0pera-= tive when the plunger advances, say, somewhat beyond the point X.- (See dotted lines, Fig. 5.) When the filler-sections accumulate in the magazine to said point X, (see Fig. 6,) the gage-rod will remain inoperative for the time being, (and consequently the ratchetwheel,) since the movement of the rod 6 would be insufficient to cause the arm 6 to engage the collar 01*. The next two or three revolutions of the machine would, however, permit the plunger to gradually advance sutTi-ciently to again set the feeding device into action.

I may state here that usually each filler-section t contains tobacco sufficient for a number of bunches. Consequently the feeding ITS mechanism is or may be inoperative corrc- 1. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination with a tobacco-feeding mechanism, a magazine communicating therewith, and a plunger arranged to advance the tobacco in the magazine, of means for causing the plunger mechanism to vary the action of the feeding mechanism.

In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination with a tobacco-feeding mechanism, a magazine communicating therewith, and a plunger arranged to advance the tobacco in the magazine, of means for causing the plunger mechanism to retard the normal action of the feeding mechanism when the tobacco in the magazine exceeds a predetermined quantit-y.

3. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination with a tobacco-feeding mechanism, a magazine communicating therewith, and a plunger arranged to advance thetobacco in the magazine, of means for causing the plunger mechanism to render the feeding mechanism temporarily inoperative when the tobacco in the magazine exceeds a predetermined quantity. V

4. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination with a tobacco-feeding mechanism, a magazine communicating therewith, and a plunger arranged to advance the tobacco in the magazine, of means for causing the plunger mechanism to retard the normal action of the feeding mechanism when the tobacco in the magazine exceeds a predetermined quantity, and means for adjusting said iatter means to vary said predetermined quantity.

5. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination with an intermittentlymovable tobacco-feeding mechanism, a magazine communicating therewitl1,and a plunger arranged to advance the tobacco in the magazine, of means connected with the plunger mechanism for causingthe feeding mechanism to omit one or more steps in its intermittent movement when the tobacco in the magazine exceeds a predetermined quantity.

6. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination with a feeding device provided with a ratchet-wheel through which power is transmitted to actuate the device, an oscillating pawl having an invariable angular movement and arranged to engage said wheel, and a gage-rod arranged tolie normally in the path of and to engage with and strip said pawl, a

magazine, a plunger arranged to press the tobacco ahead in the magazine, the plunger being arranged to move the gage-rod out of position of engagement with said pawl when the quantity of tobacco in the magazine extends to a predetermined point. p

7. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination with a feeding device provided with a ratchet-wheel through which power is transmitted to actuate the device, an oscillating pawl having an invariable angular movement and arranged to engage said wheel, anda gage-rod arranged to lie normally in the path of andto engage with andstrip said pawl, a magazine, a plunger arranged to press the tobacco ahead in the magazine, means for causing the plunger to engage with and thereby advance and retract the gage-rod at its forward and rearward positions respectively, and means for adjusting the said positions of engagement.

8. In a cigar-bunching machine, the combination of a tobacco-feeding device, a ratchetwheel through which the device is adapted to be rotated in one direction only, an oscillating pawl moving an invariable angular distance back and forth at each revolution of the machine, a magazine, a plunger arranged to press the tobacco in the magazine, means for moving the plunger, a rod having the plunger secured to its front end and carrying an arm, an endwise-movable gage-rod passing loosely through the said arm, a collar secured to the rod on each side of said arm, the collar being arranged whereby the plunger in its forward movement causes said arm to engage one of the collars and advance thegage' rod into a position to engage with and move the said pawl downwardly onto the wheel and thus rotate the latter on the return movement of the pawl and thereby actuate the feeding device, the other collar being so arranged that on the rearward movement of the plunger said arm will engage this collar and thereby return the gage-rod to its normal or non operative position.

9. In a cigar-bunchin g machine, a tobaccofeeding device provided with a ratchet wheel through which the device is operated, an oscilla ting arm carrying a spring, a springpressed pawl mounted in the outer end of said arm and arranged to engage the teeth of and rotate the wheel, a notched latch connected with and moving in unison with the pawl and arranged to receive the free end of said spring at its notch, a fixed stop arranged to engage with and detach the spring from the notched portion of said latch just before said arm and attached parts complete the forward stroke, thereby permitting the pawl to swing upwa rdly out of engagement with the wheel, and an automatically-actuated gage-rod located in the path of the pawl, and so arranged that the pawl inits rearward movement strikes the rod and is moved downward into engagement with the ratchet-Wheel whereby said spring is permitted to enter the notched part of the latch.

Signed at Providence, Rhode Island, this 3d day of August, 1901.

MICHAEL M. GARDNER] 

